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Student Government President Wins RMU’s Highest Undergraduate Honor

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Pittsburgh -- He’s the Robert Morris University student government president. He’s a resident assistant who volunteers his time with the Special Olympics, Little Sisters for the Poor, and WorldVision. And his GPA is a near flawless 3.98 in one of RMU’s toughest academic programs.

Little surprise, then, that Matthew Feryus is the 2011 recipient of the Presidential Transformational Award, the university’s highest undergraduate honor. The award is given annually to a graduating student who has been transformed by his or her experience at RMU and has also contributed to the transformation of the university in a meaningful way. The recipient epitomizes the RMU experience through active and engaged learning, academic excellence, leadership and community service.

Feryus earned his bachelor’s degree in actuarial science, an intensive program that only accepts students who score at least a 650 on the mathematics portion of the SAT. Feryus has earned a perfect 4.0 in actuarial science courses, and so far he has passed three Society of Actuaries professional exams – which nationally have a pass rate of about 40 percent.

“I am very honored to receive the Presidential Transformational Award. I would like thank Robert Morris University for the opportunities provided to me over the past four years,” said Feryus. “Additionally, I would like to thank faculty, staff, and fellow students for their support.”

Feryus received the prestigious John Culver Wooddy Scholarship from the Actuarial Foundation. Last summer he was an actuarial intern at Coventry Health Care. His other activities include the Coalition for Christian Outreach, the International Justice Mission, the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and an alternative spring break trip to repair houses for the rural poor in Dungannon, Va.

Feryus is a graduate of Norwin High School, and is the son of Jeff and Cathy Feryus of North Huntingdon, Pa.

“Matthew’s achievements in the classroom and in the community are worthy of this honor. But equally impressive is that he has been a tremendous advocate for his fellow students, whether as a fan cheering on our sports teams or as student government president organizing campus activities,” said RMU President Gregory G. Dell’Omo. “Matthew has worked hard to ensure that his classmates reap the same benefits from their RMU experience as he has, and for that we are grateful.”